<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Can't Keep It Inside by ash_mcj</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23699977">Can't Keep It Inside</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ash_mcj/pseuds/ash_mcj'>ash_mcj</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Raising Morgan Stark [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adorable Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Angst, Angst and Feels, Domestic Boyfriends, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family, M/M, Morgan Stark Needs a Hug (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Nightmare, Parent Peter Parker, Parley, Peter Parker &amp; Morgan Stark are Siblings (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Peter Parker is Tony Stark's Biological Child, Stark Family, parkner</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 18:40:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,826</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23699977</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ash_mcj/pseuds/ash_mcj</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Morgan Stark has a bad dream, she goes to her older brother Peter for comfort. Peter helps her the same way Tony used to help him when he was alive.</p><p>*this is sad...but cute...you've been warned.*</p><p>**Inspired by the song "Can't Keep It Inside" by Benedict Cumberbatch</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Harley Keener/Peter Parker</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Raising Morgan Stark [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1743469</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>114</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Can't Keep It Inside</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>It's not mandatory, but please listen to this song--I wrote this while listening to it on repeat and that's why my feelings are everywhere. </p><p> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VytuHfY-fVM">Can't Keep It Inside, by Benedict Cumberbatch</a></p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Peter was startled awake by his Spidey Sense going off, giving him all of one second to catch the little girl who was about to land on his chest. She immediately buried her face in his neck and hugged him with an iron tight grip.</p><p>“Morgan, what’s wrong?” Peter asked, clutching his crying sister to his body. He felt Harley shift and sit up on the bed beside him, but Morgan’s mess of tangled hair blocked him from seeing his boyfriend.</p><p>“I was--it was dark and--and there was--<em>ahagh</em>--” Morgan was unable to get out her sentence as she cried, so Peter just rubbed her small back soothingly.</p><p>“Just breathe, Bug. Breathe for a few seconds and then tell me. You’re okay; I have you.” he assured her.</p><p>Peter had gotten custody of Morgan when she was six, after Pepper was killed in a nasty car accident, leaving both Peter and Morgan orphans. Peter was sixteen at the time and was approved to be emancipated, since he had enough money with the Stark fortune to be able to support himself. Luckily, the fight to get custody of Morgan was fast and nearly painless--but their Uncle Bucky was ready to take both of them, if needed. The Stark kids had unarguably the best support system, despite lacking parents.</p><p>The siblings moved into an apartment near the Stark Industries tower with Peter’s boyfriend Harley, and they had been a little family ever since. Two years later, Peter and Harley had gotten parenting down for the most part, while also taking online college classes at MIT and running Peter’s father’s business...not to mention their hero duties as part-time Avengers.</p><p>It was a lot, but they were Starks. They did what needed to be done and they excelled at it.</p><p>“Okay,” Morgan whispered, once her breathing was under control. “I was running in a forest...and it was dark. There were a bunch of sounds and then a man got me and he had a gun and I was scared because I didn’t want to get hurt. He pointed it at me and then I heard it shoot, but then I woke up and ran in here.”</p><p>“Oh, Morgs,” Peter said, rocking side to side with her still hugged against him. “You’re safe. It was just a dream.”</p><p>“Ya know that your brother and I would never let anyone get ya. Spider-Man and Iron Lad would take ‘em down in an instant. Nobody gets away with trying to hurt our favorite girl. Ya know that, right, Sweet Face?” Harley told her, brushing her hair behind her ear and wiping the tears off her cheek. She reached up and grabbed his hand, holding it tightly.</p><p>“I know, but it scared me. I’m not brave like you guys.”</p><p>“Hey, that’s where you’re wrong.” Peter pulled her back so that she was sitting on his lap and he could look at her. “Being brave doesn’t mean you aren’t scared. I feel scared sometimes and that's totally okay. Harley does, too. Even Dad felt scared, and he was <em> Iron Man </em>.”</p><p>“I guess.”</p><p>“I used to have nightmares a lot when I was younger, you know. Dad would come in and he’d sleep in my room with me because I didn’t want to be alone. Do you want to sleep in here with us? It might be a little squished, but Harley and I both love cuddles. What do you say?”</p><p>Morgan smiled and nodded her head, sliding off of Peter’s lap to sit between her brother and Harley, who had also become family to her over the years.</p><p>“Did you used to cry when you had nightmares, too?” Morgan asked as she got under the blankets.</p><p>“Yes. I used to cry after almost all of my nightmares.” he admitted. His nightmares were actually mostly Spider-Man-related PTSD memories that would trigger full-blown panic attacks that Tony would have to hold him through, but he was glad that Morgan’s were only dreams. He would do everything in his power to make sure she didn’t have to carry the emotional problems that Peter did. “You know what Dad used to do to help me fall back asleep?”</p><p>“What did he do?” she sniffled, looking up at him expectantly. Peter knew that she loved to hear about Tony, since her memories of him were so limited. It made her feel like she was getting to know him a bit through Peter. </p><p>“You have to lay down and close your eyes.” Peter told her. She did as he said and looped her arm around Harley’s, pulling him down to lay beside her. She was still shaking and wanted to feel them both at her sides to protect her.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Peter, Sweetheart, it’s me. It’s Dad.” Tony said softly, sitting beside Peter on his bed and taking the shaking teenager into his arms. Peter was crying and felt like he couldn’t breathe. His head was pounding and he wasn’t sure where he was, but he could distantly hear Tony’s voice and he latched onto it like a lifeline. “You’re at home, with me. You’re okay.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Dad.” Peter choked out, clutching onto the arm he felt around himself. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "Focus...five things you can see.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Peter forced himself to open his eyes and looked around his bedroom frantically. “I-Iron Man poster...skateboard...d-desk...chem textbook...fan.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "Good, Bambino.” Tony said, rubbing his back soothingly. “Four things you can touch.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “My b-blanket.” Peter stuttered, running his trembling hand over the soft comforter covering his legs. He moved his hand up the wall and felt the slight bumps under his fingertips. “My wall.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “What else?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “You.” he whispered, loosening his grip on his father’s arm just enough to pet the light arm hair over his tan skin. His hand slid down to his hand and tapped his wedding ring. “Your ring.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Perfect, Peter. I’m right here with you.” he assured him and Peter finally turned to look at him, his breathing beginning to even out. “Are you back with me?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Y-Yeah.” Peter nodded. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Was it the building one again?” Tony asked gently as he scooted further onto the bed and laid down against the several pillows stacked against the wall. “Come lay with me, Piccolo.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Yeah, it was.” Peter said. He had been reliving getting crushed under a collapsed building quite often lately. He shifted so that he could lay his head on Tony’s chest and closed his eyes at the sound of his steady heartbeat. That was one thing his enhanced senses came in handy for. There was nothing more calming than listening to his Dad’s heartbeat after a panic attack. He was there. His dad was there. Everything was okay </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“What did he do, Petey?” Morgan asked, drawing her brother out of his memories.</p><p>“I’m going to tell you, but you can’t laugh at me, okay? I’m not as good of a singer as he was, but...he used to sing me a song.”</p><p>“Dad would sing?” Morgan asked, honest shock on her face. She’d never heard anything about him singing before. Harley’s faced mirrored hers. He was close to Tony and he couldn’t imagine the man singing for the life of him.</p><p>“Yes, he would. I can’t sing to you until you close your eyes, though. Those are the rules. I’m shy.”</p><p>“You’re not shy,” Morgan giggled, but closed her eyes anyway. “I’m ready.”</p><p>“Are you sure?”</p><p>“I’m sure, Peter. Sing now.”</p><p>“You’re lucky I love you so much, Piccola, because you sure are bossy.”</p><p>“You have to love me. It’s your job.”</p><p>“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” Peter ran his hand over Morgan's forehead and up into her dark hair.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “You know, when I was younger, my mom used to sing to me when I was upset. I swore I wouldn’t do it, so you can’t go around telling people. I have a reputation to uphold.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “You’re going to sing to me?” Peter asked, a smile playing at his lips. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Well not if you’re just going to laugh at me.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I won’t, I won’t. Promise.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “The things I do for you, my child. After this, there is no doubting how much I love you. And you have to tell me you love me every day, even when you’re being an angsty teenager, okay?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Deal...now, sing.” Peter urged, wanting to hear his voice. He’d never heard him sing before. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "You sure are bossy.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Dad…” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Okay, okay,” Tony sighed, giving Peter a squeeze with the arm that was wrapped around him, holding him to his chest. He took a deep breath, before beginning to sing. “</em>
  <em>Well I've never been a man of many words...And there's nothing I could say that you haven't heard...But I'll sing you love songs 'till the day I die. The way I'm feeling...I can't keep it inside.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“I'll sing you a sweet serenade whenever you're feeling sad.” Peter sang slowly, the way his father had sung it to him. He brushed his fingers through Morgan’s hair and her smile faded into a calm expression as her body relaxed.  “And a lullaby each night before you go to bed. I'll sing to you for the rest of your life.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Peter could feel Tony’s deep voice vibrating in his chest, the slow song keeping beat with his heart. His voice was low and almost husky and it immediately calmed him. Peter felt himself drifting off to sleep again as Tony’s fingers rhythmically brushed circles against his back. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“The way I'm feeling...I can't keep it inside.” Peter continued, trying to keep his voice steady as tears began blurring his vision. His voice wasn’t as deep as Tony’s, but it seemed to soothe his sister, because she was already asleep, her arm relaxing from it’s firm grip on Harley’s arm. Peter kept playing with her hair as he finished the song. “No, I can't keep it inside.”</p><p>Harley saw a tear slide down Peter’s cheek and reached out to caress his face affectionately. “You did it, Darlin’. She’s asleep.”</p><p>“I miss him so much.” Peter admitted, taking a deep breath to get himself under control before he let out some sort of sob that would wake Morgan up.</p><p>“I know, Baby, I’m sorry.” Harley said softly. They all missed him. Tony might not have been Harley’s father, but he was the only father figure he ever had. Tony had taken him under his wing several times during his life and he considered the man family. “Tony’s watchin' you...I know it. He’s seein' how amazin' you are with school and the company and especially with Morgs. There’s no way that man wouldn’t be watchin' us from Heaven. He was the most overprotective person I’ve ever met.”</p><p>“I love you, Harls. I don’t know what I would do without you.” Peter told him honestly, taking his hand in his own and pressing a wet kiss to the back of it.</p><p>“And I love you. Always.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Would anyone like me to explore more into this world? I'm thinking of making a series within this world of Harley and Peter raising Morgan. Let me know.</p><p>Comments/Kudos are appreciated. Tell me if you liked this!</p><p>If you want to support me even more, you could follow <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/blog/marvel-obsessed-chick">My Tumblr</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>